Grand National 2025 – Honesty Policy triumphs at Aintree

Grand National 2025 – Honesty Policy triumphs at Aintree

Gordon Elliott's five-year-old lands Grade One glory on Grand National day at Aintree while Deep Cave and Cruz Control also won

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Honesty Policy (5-1) got up to win the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle on the final day of Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.

It was a first win of the week for three-time Grand National-winning trainer after several near misses including with Timmy Tuesday in the opening race on the day on the final day at Aintree. The five-year-old, who had won his last two starts having been second on his debut over obstacles at Naas at the start of January, took the step up in trip to 2m4f and into Grade One company in his stride to score under a smart ride by Mark Walsh.

Honesty Policy was tucked away in the pack for much of the race as Paul Nicholls' Regent's Stroll (9-1), under Harry Cobden, cut out much of the running. And the recent Wincanton winner looked like he may hold on for a moment on the run to the line as held off Henry de Bromhead's Koktail Divin and Willie Mullins' Funiculi Funicula (12-1). But Honesty Policy came with a perfectly-timed ride down the outside, under Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Walsh, to triumph by half-a-length. Funiculi Funicula was a further three-quarters-of-a-length back in third and Koktail Divin fourth.

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Elliott won this race with smart mare Brighterdayshead 12 months ago. But he believes Honesty Policy, who is owned by JP McManus, will make up in a decent staying chaser. The County Meath handler said: "He's very well named, he's a tough horse with a very good attitude. I'd say he was probably going as quick as he could the whole way, so we're absolutely delighted with him. He'll definitely go over further next year, staying is his game, as you could see. I don't know if he'll go over fences or stay hurdling, we'll enjoy today first.

“The horses are running well, we’re having more seconds than thirds, and obviously we had three winners at Wexford yesterday, but we’re just not getting the rub of the green. The horses are running well, but as I said at Cheltenham, all my staff and owners are all standing by me strong, they’re running well.

“He’ll be a three-mile horse. I’d say the ground was as quick as he wanted it, Mark looked like he was going as quick as he could the whole way. He was in front at the right time.”

Elliott used to train Paul Nicholls' Cheltenham Festival and Ladies Day winner Caldwell Potter before he was sold to his new connections, who include former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. And he was beating Regent's Stroll, who is also owned the same connections of Caldwell Potter. But Elliott and Ferguson shared warm words in the winner's enclosure afterwards.

Elliott added: "Sir Alex loves the game and he came over to say well done and I said to him well done on yesterday. We wanted to keep Caldwell Potter, but that's the game we're in. This has been a lucky race for me, that's four wins in a row."

Winning jockey Walsh said: “He’s very well-named – he’s as honest as the day is long. It’s only his fourth run over hurdles and he’s still inexperienced, and, in fairness to him, when he got going after the third-last he never raised his head off the ground and galloped all the way to the line. I was hopeful going to the last – he jumped and picked up well, but he wasn’t going as quickly after the last as I’d have liked, but I knew he had enough left in the tank. He’ll have no problem going over fences last year. I’m delighted for Gordon and all the team – to get a winner here means a lot to them.”

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Of the runner-up, Nicholls said: "He ran some race, didn't he? I'm thrilled with him. It hasn't been easy with him all season, but he's mentally beginning to get there and that was by far and away his best run. The run at Wincanton the other day did him good and he's beginning to chill – today, considering the occasion, is probably as well behaved as he's been. He settled and jumped absolutely brilliant and as Harry said he's quickened from the last all the way to the line.

"Ultimately his future is over fences, I've always said that, and anything he won over hurdles was going to be a bonus. He's an exciting horse for the future, we'll put him away now and go novice chasing in the autumn."

Cruz Control (10-1) landed a second successive victory in the William Hill Handicap Chase.

The Philip Hobbs and Jonson White-trained Imperial Saint (11-4 favourite), who had already won three times at Aintree this season, tried to lead from start to finish under Micheal Nolan. But it was Tom Lacey's Cruz Control, who had been pulled up on his most recent start in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day, who showed his own love of Aintree with victory. Cruz Control, under Stan Sheppard, lived up to his name as he cruised up to the long-time leader coming to the second last fence. And although Imperial Saint rallied after the last, Lacey's eight-year-old powered home to score by five lengths from the favourite. Erne River (25-1) was a head back in third.

Deep Cave (28-1) got up almost on the line to land a shock win in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle. Christian Williams' seven-year-old was always travelling well, under Jack Tudor, off a steady pace set by Building Bridges. But when the leader began to tire coming to the final two flights, the pack closed in led by Gordon Elliott's Timmy Tuesday (11-2) on the inside with Deep Cave making his move on the outer. And the duo battled to the line but it was Deep Cave who stayed on best in the 3m½f contest to get up and score by a length from Timmy Tuesday. Double Powerful (7-1) was another half-length back in third with Park Of Kings (25-1) a head further adrift in fourth. Olly Murphy's 4-1 favourite Act Of Authority never really got into and stayed on for seventh place.

Winning trainer Christian Williams, who was second as a jockey in the Grand National on Royal Auclair and saddled Kitty’s Light to finish fifth last year, said: “That was brilliant. It’s very special to have winners at these meetings, but we didn’t have anything for Cheltenham and we’ve come here with just the one runner, so for him to go and win is great.

“The owner (Caolan Woods) has been patient all year. He had a break to freshen him up and then we targeted this meeting. It’s probably taken us a long time to figure him out, but we thought he’d be better on nice ground and he’s going to be very special over fences next year. He won a novice chase in France, so he’s not a novice, but he’ll hopefully be a Saturday horse.”

Asked if he always thought he would get his head in front on the run to the line, winning jockey Tudor said: “I did, actually, yes. I thought jumping two out… we’ve ridden him a bit more on the pace before and found when he gets there, he doesn’t do too much. Whereas I was happy today that I had something to aim at all the way from two out. I didn’t think we went a mad gallop early doors, but got going down the back and got racing up in front turning in – it’s worked out nicely.

“I don’t think he is a proper soft ground horse, he’s a good-moving horse and good ground is… the ground they’ve got here today for us, you wouldn’t get it anywhere else, it’s perfect.”

On winning at Aintree, Tudor added: “It’s what it’s about. It’s where you want to be riding, and where you want to be riding winners. Delighted. Aintree do a great job with the ground – the weather hasn’t made it easy for clerks of the course recently, but it’s lovely ground, on the easy side of good with great grass cover and very level. It’s great to be riding here on this day.”

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